Donovan Park

Donovan Park Sport Horses & Rehab Services is an established equestrian facility only 30 minutes from Launceston in peaceful & picturesque Meander Valley.

The rural location offers privacy & an ideal setting to enhance learning for capacity building life skills via Equine Assisted Skills Development programs. 

 

Donovan Park also facilitates group Team Building activities & caters for clinics & workshops.

Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)

Building better communities through skill development

A unique life skills development program for 10+ year old’s offering experiential learning opportunities that arise working with horses in structured, ground based activities.  In an outdoor, non-clinical environment, the horses provide immediate feedback & are an integral part of the facilitation team. 

Equestrian Groundwork Education (EGE)

Horse & Handler building a partnership of trust & respect as a foundation for any equestrian pursuit.

Specifically for horse owners requiring ground-based skills to learn the language of the horse & through attuned communication be able to teach & experience their horse through a partnership lens.

Farm Animals

ANIMAL INTERACTION

Animal Interaction is for anyone wanting to immerse themselves with some cute and quirky animals that love attention. 

horse saddle

SADDLEFIT ASSESSMENT

When was the last time you had your saddle fit professionally checked? 

hoof cleaning

BAREFOOT HOOF TRIMMING

I have over 15 years experience providing professional hoof balance & corrective services

muscle treatment

BODYWORK

Muscle Rehab Treatment is an effective combination of modalities to release tension and restore balance in the equine body. 

TESTIMONIALS

BODYWORK 'HI Jo, thanks again for looking at Theodore for me. Just wanted to say that what you did has made a massive difference to him!! Ive had two flatwork rides and a jump since then and he is so forward, light in the contact, bending and jump … the lift in his front end is crazy! No bucking into the canter transition! The only thing he has had that’s different is your bodywork session 😊'
Steph Jolly 30 Aug, 2022
FROM THE TOOF DR HIMSELF 'It was back to the OG Tasmaniacs place yesterday with a day spent with Jo Pickett. Many many people make each years trip possible, however it was Jo who I originally met during a trip to Tassie on which I was teaching dentistry about a decade ago who bent my ear and created the trips which have in the end benefited so many horses here. And in the cascade which has been the follow on tours it was directly through Jo initially that I met so many of the other Tasmaniacs. Theres a story that I tell about one of those early years working on a patient who started out chestnut and finished up a bay … but if I was exhausted then Jo must have been equally as tired because she was doing as much if not more in the background to make those trips possible and it was only through a place of wanting to see as many horses as possible get the right help. It was nice to be able to work with Jo yesterday, and at the same time we could both relax a bit 😊. Anyway I guess I wanted to acknowledge Jo’s fundamental role in driving these trips to begin with, meeting Jo Pickett has certainly had a profound effect on me and I think a lot of horses too.'
Dr Shannon Lee – Advanced Equine Dentistry 1 Sept, 2022
EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING 'Dear Jo. Long time no see. Im Junkyu. Thanks to you, Siha and Taeho are growing well. They became middle school students, not an elementary school students. As you always emphasized, they became students with respect and kindness. They miss you, too. So do I. We want you to be happy until we meet again. (and forever)'
Junkyu (sth Korean Teacher of adhd students) 30 Aug, 2022
BAREFOOT HOOF TRIMMING 'A big thankyou to Jo Pickett for looking after our horses today and every trim. Such attention to detail, absolutely top notch trimmer! Always on time, great communication to organise times that suit. Takes time and care with any issues, knowledgeable and supportive. AND, very good with cheeky chops Ted 😊.'
Tracy Broadbent 22 June, 2022
EQUINE GROUND EDUCATION (EGE) 'Awesome day out at Donovan Park training day with Jo Pickett with my gorgeous OTT Tiff. Such a great opportunity with on the ground and ridden work. Can't wait for the next one!'
Kristy Evans 19 June, 2022

Meet The EAL Team

Jaffa

JAFFA

Born 20/01/2015 at Donovan Park

Grey warmblood gelding 16.2h

ROGER

Dob: 13/12/2005

Bay Clydesdale/Standardbred cross 16.2h

Gidget

GIDGET & MISS ELLIE

Born 11/2014 at Donovan Park

Black warmblood mare 16.1h

Born 2015

Palouse pony mare 12.3h

Donkey and Pony

MRS WILKINSON (aka Wilkie)

Born approx. 2002

Mini cross pony mare

Lehrer

Lehrer

Rottweiler

Macie Grace

MACIE-GRACE

DOB: 12/11/2015

Arabian Riding Pony mare  13.1h

Wonky

PINOT TABOOLA (aka Wonkey Donkey)

Dob: 17/11/2018

Miniature Mediterranean Donkey

Freckles and patch

FRECKLES & PATCH

Honor

HONOR

Buffy

BUFFY

Hamish

HAMISH

NEWS

How therapy ponies are helping a former draught horse expert get back in the saddle

By Sarah Abbott

97 year old farmer Alan Mitchelson has spent plenty of his life alongside horses, mostly working with draught horses and pack horses on his family farm near Westbury.

These days he puts his horse-whispering skills to use when meeting much smaller members of the equine family, as he did earlier this week at the equine assisted learning facility, Donovan Park.

Alan was part of a group of dementia clients that visited the facility recently, run by Jo Pickett, on a mission to get some quality hang-out time with its furry residents.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Eagala qualified professional Equine Specialist since 2015

Equine Assisted Skills Development Facilitator

Aust Equine Facilitated Learning Practitioner (AEFL) certified since 2022

Saddlefit4Life Equine Ergonomist since certified since 2014   (1st person in Australasia to gain this recognition)

certified
Equine Ergonomist
AEFL
EASD